The Young Australian Skeptics is an organisation and group blog run by a diverse team of young science communicators, professionals and students, focused on the crossroads of science with critical thinking, religion, education, politics, medicine, law, wider society and more — in essence, scientific skepticism and its cultural impact.

The Pseudoscientists Episode 120: Lemon Not Necessary

Sarah is joined by new host Nicola McCaskill to chat about the puny immune systems of men, the development of autism, and changes to Australia’s racial discrimination legislation, while also growing everyone’s knowledge about carcinogens in Jargonauts.

Most of the episode was good. For an amusing “evaluation” of cleansing drinks, listen to the “Oh no, Ross and Carrie!” episode “Ross and Carrie On the Juice: Cleansing Toxins”.

Now the “but”… I support completely the discussion of politics in skeptical podcasts. Most shy away from it, yet it cannot be avoided when the goal is to advance society. The sentiments of the segment about the Racial Discrimination Act section 18D and its repeal were great. However, the level of knowledge displayed was disappointing. Some simple research could have made a lot of difference.

First, the (Australian, for the benefit of confused international readers) Racial Discrimination Act is a 1975 act passed during the Whitlam Administration, not one introduced by “the previous government” (implying Rudd/​Gillard).

Second, in the 39 year history of the Act, very few people have fallen foul of 18C. To understand why, read section 18D.

Finally, Andrew Bolt is NOT a journalist any more than he is a climate scientist. He’s a political commentator. Journalists, despite the impression created by the Murdoch media, research, report on and analyse facts. Andrew Bolt does none of these things.